CleverSolutions spins off autonomous vehicle operations business backed by investment from two German bus companies

Berlin-based mobility services provider CleverSolutions has launched CleverSolutions Autonomous, a new company dedicated to operating autonomous vehicle fleets for transport operators, backed by investment from two German bus companies.

CleverSolutions Autonomous is intended as a standalone business that will provide operational services for autonomous vehicle fleets on behalf of public transport authorities, bus operators and private mobility providers. The launch coincides with the completion of a funding round led by German operators Autobus Oberbayern and Geldhauser Linien- und Reiseverkehr.

The new company is focused on organizations planning to deploy autonomous vehicles without developing their own operational infrastructure. According to CleverSolutions, the business will provide fleet operations, control centre functions and fleet management services for third-party operators.

CleverSolutions builds autonomous operations business

CleverSolutions Autonomous builds on operational experience developed through CleverShuttle, one of Germany’s early demand-responsive transport services. According to CleverSolutions, the company has worked with public transport operators to manage more than 30 on-demand mobility services across Germany.

The company states that the operational procedures, control logic, fleet management systems and control centre functions developed through these projects have been adapted for autonomous vehicle fleet operations.

What is interesting, the financing round supporting the creation of CleverSolutions Autonomous was led by Autobus Oberbayern and Geldhauser Linien- und Reiseverkehr, two established German passenger transport operators.

In brief

• What is CleverSolutions Autonomous? A new company created by CleverSolutions to operate autonomous vehicle fleets for transport operators and mobility providers.
• Who invested in the company? The funding round was led by Autobus Oberbayern and Geldhauser Linien- und Reiseverkehr.
• What experience does CleverSolutions bring? The company states it has operated more than 30 on-demand mobility services across Germany following its experience with CleverShuttle.
• Who are the target customers? Transport companies, public transport authorities and private mobility providers deploying autonomous vehicle fleets.

Bruno Ginnuth, founder of CleverSolutions, is quoted as saying: “The car comes from Germany. The software is from Silicon Valley. But the largest share of value creation in autonomous mobility happens neither in the factory nor in the lab, it happens in day-to-day operations, in the control center, in the daily responsibility for the fleet. That’s the gap we identified, and it’s where we want to bring in our more than 15 years of experience in mobility with CleverSolutions Autonomous.”

Nico Schoenecker, Managing Director of Autobus Oberbayern GmbH, said: “We’ve been moving people for more than 135 years, and we’ve always been early adopters of new technology, from the combustion engine to electrification. Autonomous vehicles are the next step. We’re investing in CleverSolutions Autonomous because operational expertise isn’t something you can buy off the shelf.”

Martin Geldhauser, Managing Director of the Geldhauser Group, said: “We think in long time horizons. Autonomous mobility will transform transportation. We want to shape this transformation together with a partner who understands how day-to-day operations really work.”